Gear driven cylindrical drum chance device

ABSTRACT

A mechanical game for simulating playing the game of golf. The device includes a box with a face-plate having a plurality of apertures, each aperture representative of a different golf hole having a different value of par, a rotatable indicia covered cylinder beneath the face-plate for displaying within each aperture a different possible golf score, and a slidable bar coupled adjacent the apertures that is moveable to allow the viewing of said cylinder display through only one aperture. The bar position is determined by the players as to which type hole they are playing at the time, whether it be a par three, par four or par five hole. Cylinder display is randomly moved adjacent the aperture in the face-plate by a spring-actuated rack gear which is moved into and out of engagement with a pinion gear coupled to the cylinder by an elliptically shaped cam track.

United States Patent [191 Bittner [4511 Aug. 27, 1974 1 GEAlR DRIVEN CYLINDRICAL DRUM CHANCE DEVICE [22] Filed: Aug. 23, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 282,966

Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Malin & Haley ABSTRACT A mechanical game for simulating playing the game of golf. The device includes a box with a face-plate having a plurality of apertures, each aperture representa' tive of a different golf hole having a different value of par, a rotatable indicia covered cylinder beneath the face-plate for displaying within each aperture a different possible golf score, and a slidable bar coupled adjacent the apertures that is moveable to allow the viewing of said cylinder display through only one aperture. The bar position is determined by the players as to which type hole they are playing at the time, whether it be a par three, par four or par five hole. Cylinder display is randomly moved adjacent the aperture in the face-plate by a spring-actuated rack gear which is moved into and out of engagement with a pinion gear coupled to the cylinder by an elliptically shaped cam track.

2 Clains, 4 Drawing Figures AIENIED AUEZ 71974 SHEET Bf 4 Q VN @QN WWI UINMI GEAR DRIVEN CYLINDRICAL DRUM CHANCE DEVICE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a mechanical game of chance, and in particular to a game mechanically oriented to similate the game of golf. As is well known on a golf course the holes are set up to provide a standard score of either a par 3, par 4,or par 5. In actuality a player may achieve a score over par, par itself or less than par with the minimum score being a hole in one. Applicants game simulates a golf game by providing a possible score display that is randomly selected having a large number of possible golf scores, only one of which is displayed per turn through a face-plate aperture, corresponding to a particular length hole designated by the particular par.

The game is comprised of a box-like structure having an upper top surface with a pre-determined number of apertures for displaying a particular golf score therethrough. A slidable bar having pre-determined spaced apertures is coupled beneath. the surface of the top plate and has an arm protruding through an elongated aperture, movable along the aperture, exposing different apertures in the bar concentrically over the faceplate apertures. Only one face-plate aperture will be open at any instant, corresponding to the particular par hole. Inside the box-like structure, a cylinder is mounted on a frame structure and is freely rotatable. A cylinder axle is coupled to a pinion gear. A rack having geared teeth is movably engageable with the pinion gear. The rack is movable up and down into and out of coupling relationship with the pinion gear by means of a cam surface and a spring tensioning linkage device. The rack provides rotational inertia to the pinion gear and the cylinder which then rotates freely until coming to rest due to frictional forces. The entire cylindrical surface has indicia which represent various golf scores sized to be viewed through the surface apertures of the box-like structures.

To play the game, one player at a timepulls the linkage mechanism which causes the cylinder to rotate freely. A golf hole of a particular par is selected by sliding the bar to a particular position allowing-only one aperture in the display face to expose the surface of the cylinder beneath. When the cylinder stops and the particular golf score is displayed, this score is recorded.

' Each player takes a turn until the entire golf game is completed. Upon the end of the golf game, the score is totalled for each player and the person with the lowest score is declared the winner.

vlt is an object in this invention to provide a mechanical game which simulates thegame of golf.

It is another object of this invention to provide a.

game of chance which closely similates the game of golf.

And yet another object of this invention is to provide a mechanical golf game which randomly. selects a particular golf score simulated for a particular golfing hole.

And still yet another object of this invention is to provide a mechanical golfing game having a novel selectability feature.

In accordance with these and other objects which will be apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of Applicants invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of Applicants invention with the top plate removed.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the bottom of the top plate of Applicants invention.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view in cutaway of the driving mechanism of Applicants invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings and especially FIG. 1, Applicants invention is shown as a box structure 10 having a top plate 12 and vertical side plates 14 and 16 and a bottom section 18 coupled together to form a rectangular box.

The upper plate 12 has a plurality of apertures 20, 22, 24 and 26 disposed within the top plate structure substantially along a common line. Beneath the apertures lies a sliding flat bar 28 which is movable by projecting arm 30 within aperture 26. The rectangular apertures 20, 22, and 24 within the plate housing cover 12 provide viewing windows for indicia displayed within the box structure itself (described later). A mm A dle or knob 32 is utilized manually to operate the game.

FIG. 2 shows the display mechanism and driving mechanism within the box structure 10 basically comprised of a cylinder 40 mounted on axle 44 supported at one end by frame 52 and at the opposite end by frame 42. Also disposed on the common shaft 44 with cylinder 40 is pinion gear 46 rigidly coupled to shaft 44. A rack gear 48 is disposed below pinion gear 46 and is connected to knob 32 by linkage 34. A spring 36 stores potential energy when the handle 32 is pulled away from the side 14 and propells rack gear forward when the handle is released driving the rack gear 48 into engagement with pinion gear 46. A cam surface 50 coupled to rack gear 48 by a pair of cam pins 64 provides an eliptical, vertically oriented pathfor bringing the rack gear into rotational contact with gear 46.

The exterior surface of cylinder 40 is provided with indicia substantially divided into three columns, each column having various possible golf scores that one would expect, each column scores representative of different length holes of different par values. The indicia is sized so as to be readable through the apertures in the top housing plate 12.

FIG. 3 shows the underside of top housing plate 12 having slidably mounted bar 28 with brackets 58, the bar having pre-determined apertures 54 and 56 disposed at pre-determined distances. along the length of the bar which allows only one viewing aperture 20, 22, or 24 in the top plate to be open at a particular instant. In this illustration, aperture 20 and aperture 54 are superimposed over each other to allow viewings through the entire structure while apertures 22 and 24 are blocked by bar 28. Lateral movement of the bar 28 to the left will align apertures 56 and 24 while closing aperture 20, again allowing only one open aperture window. Continued lateral movement of bar 28 will place aperture 54 in line with aperture 22 thus closing apertures 20 and 24. The underside of movement bar 30 is shown which permits lateral movement of the bar to the limits of aperture 26, the aperture being eliptical in shape.

FIG. 4 shows the driving mechanism of cylinder 40 comprised of a rack gear 48 having vertically disposed teeth 60 coupled to linkage arm 34 and knob 32 (outside of the box structure). Linkage joint 72 allows for vertical movement of rack 48 within the housing. Pinion gear 46 is disposed above rack 48. The supporting mechanism and frame structure for the gears and the cylinder has not been shown for simplicity. The rack is coupled on each side to the cam housing 50 (FIG. 2) through extending means 64 which ride about cam track 66 in the cam housing 50 (shown in FIG. 4 as an eliptical path). As the linkage mechanism is extended outside of the box, the rack gear is guided by the grooved surface. A spring 68 forces the rack upward so that the teeth 60 engage with circular gear teeth 62 along the top portion of the eliptical path. Release of the linkage allows spring 36 to force the rack towards spring 70 while rotating circular gear 36 and cylinder 40. Upon contacting spring 70 rack 48 is then forced down out of engagement with circular gear 46 where it returns to the position shown in FIG. 4 along the bottom path of the elipse. Once the rack 48 is disengaged from circular gear 46 and cylinder 40, rotational momentum will continue driving the cylinder until frictional forces have dissipated the energy which stops the cylinder at a random position. Spring stop 38 is rigidly coupled to shaft 34 to provide for the compression of spring 36.

Returning to FIG. 1, to begin playing Applicants game, the first player selects what par golf hole he desires to play by moving arm 30 to indicia representing either a par 3, par 4, or as shown a par 5 hole which opens aperture 20 to display indicia written on cylinder 40 that pertains strictly to a par five hole. The player then rotates cylinder 40 by pulling out and releasing knob 30 which spins the cylinder 40 allowing it to stop at a random position which will display indicia below aperture 20. In the example shown, a player would receive a bogie 6. The remaining players follow the same procedures and individual scores are kept similar to an actual game on a golf course.

Although the indicia required for the game has been shown as displayed on a cylinder, an equivalent means such as a disk having indicia disposed radially on an upper surface could be utilized. An important aspect of Applicants invention is that only information required for the particular simulated golf hole selected is to be displayed.

In order to speed up play, a brake mechanism (FIG. 2) may be utilized comprising a rigid rod 74 having a vertically projecting rod 76 that engages with the exterior surface of cylinder 40 whenever brake end 80, which is disposed through wall 14, is depressed. After manual depression, spring 78 returns the brake 74 to the position shown. Thus, after the cylinder has been rotated, rather than waiting for it to stop by rotational frictional forces, the brake is applied to expedite play.

The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

l. A mechanical device for simulating the game of 7 slide means adjacent said top apertures for covering all except one of said apertures;

said indicia member moving means including a pinion gear coupled to said cylinder;

a rack gear having a plurality of teeth disposed linearly in a single plane; and

means for moving said rack gear into and out of engagement with said circular gear for causing rotation of said cylinder gear;

said rack gear moving means including an elliptical cam track;

a cam means coupled to said rack gear and engageable in said cam track; and

means for moving said rack gear in said cam track, whereby during a portion of said cam track travel said rack gear is engaged with said pinion gear.

2. A device as in claim 1, including:

means coupled to said slide means for moving said slide means to pre-determined positions. 

1. A mechanical device for simulating the game of golf comprising: an enclosed housing having a planar top, said top having a plurality of viewing apertures, each aperture having indicia adjacent representative of a different par golf hole; a score indicia carrying member within said housing adjacent said top apertures for viewing a portion of the score indicia on said member, said indicia carrying member being a cylindrical drum; means coupled to said score indicia member for mechanically moving said member to randomly position said portion of said member indicia adjacent said top apertures; and slide means adjacent said top apertures for covering all except one of said apertures; said indicia member moving means including a pinion gear coupled to saiD cylinder; a rack gear having a plurality of teeth disposed linearly in a single plane; and means for moving said rack gear into and out of engagement with said circular gear for causing rotation of said cylinder gear; said rack gear moving means including an elliptical cam track; a cam means coupled to said rack gear and engageable in said cam track; and means for moving said rack gear in said cam track, whereby during a portion of said cam track travel said rack gear is engaged with said pinion gear.
 2. A device as in claim 1, including: means coupled to said slide means for moving said slide means to pre-determined positions. 